Social Protection Floor Initiative
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social protection floor initiative March, 2010 SPF Country Brief Mozambique Information on UN support for the Social Protection Floor in Mozambique The Ministry of Women and Social Action (MMAS) has recently defined a National Basic Social Security Strategy (NBSSS). The NBSSS aims to unify and orient the efforts of various actors in the planning and implementation of actions in the area of basic social lead agencies ILO security, in order to enhance SS contribution, in a more efficient and effective way, and WHO to contribute to poverty reduction and socio-economic development. The strategy helps to promote an integrated approach to Social Protection, in which MMAS, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice have crucial, complementing roles to play. cooperating agencies Rooted in this Strategy, is the Regulation for the Basic Social Security (RBSS) was FAO, IMF, OHCHR, approved in November 2009 by the Ministers’ Council. In close line with the strategy, UN Regional the RBSS organizes Basic Social Security in four components that are very relevant to the Commissions, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNDESA, Social Protection Floor: UNESCO, UNFPA, • Direct Social Action, managed by MMAS and comprising social transfers to UNICEF, address the needs of the most vulnerable (older people, people with disabilities, UNHABITAT, UNHCR, those who are chronically ill, and households with orphans and vulnerable UNODC, UNRWA, WFP, children) and to answer to situations of transitory vulnerability. WMO, World Bank •• Health Social Action, managed by the Ministry of Health and assuring the universal access of the most vulnerable population to primary health care; •• Education Social Action, managed by the Ministry of Education and promoting the participation of the most vulnerable population in the education system; •• Productive Social Action, jointly managed by different sectors and including programmes of Social Inclusion through Work, targeting female heads of households, people with disabilities and other people living in absolute poverty. The approval of the RBSS constitutes a very significant step towards the implementation of the Social Protection Floor in Mozambique. But it also raises a major challenge considering the institutional capacity of the national organizations involved. UN contribution UN support to the Basic Social Security area has been driven within the framework of a UN Joint Program on Social Protection supporting the Government of Mozambique (GOM) and other partners to establish basic social protection as part of the essential package of basic social services necessary to address poverty and social exclusion. UNICEF, ILO and WFP are the implementing agencies. The UN JP supported the creation of the PARPA Social Action Working Group, with the aim of increasing the recognition of Social Protection as an effective poverty reduction tool. In this context, MMAS succeeded in ensuring the inclusion of a specific indicator on Social Protection in the government Performance Assessment Framework, which monitors government progress against the PARPA on an annual basis. As a result, government progress regarding Social Protection and the related performance and capacity needs of MMAS, have become higher on the policy and political agenda. The PARPA Working Group for Social Action is chaired by the Planning Department of MMAS and has been co-chaired by UNICEF in 2007 and 2008, with ILO as vice-chair in 2009 and WFP as active member. ILO took the lead (in May 2008, the Minister of Social Affairs addressed a request to the ILO for the design of a Social Protection Floor) and facilitated the development of the conceptual framework and the elaboration of the strategy document, including costing scenarios, consultation and dialogue between the different sectors in Mozambique involved in basic social protection. UNICEF and WFP were members of the consultative group; in this capacity, UNICEF successfully advocated for a multi sectoral approach and the inclusion of a child grant, and WFP supported the inclusion of a new productive safety nets program. In addition, UN has been involved in designing the country response to the food price crisis following a request to the United Nations by the President of Mozambique. Next steps • Support policy dialogue and technical assistance on creating the fiscal space to raise public expenditure on social protection (including new taxation opportunities on export-led activities). The current UN position (through ILO) as Chair of the PRSR Social Action group from May 2010 provides an opportunity in this context. • Range of support for improved efficiency in the delivery of social protection benefits. • Design of the operational plan of the National Basic Social Security Strategy and associated new programmes, notably productive social assistance and regular cash transfers to vulnerable groups. • Design of a monitoring and outcome measurement system to improve national capacity to monitor vulnerabilities and impact of social welfare policies. web platform www.socialsecurityextension.org Contact [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] social protection floor initiative .